How to find small ways to stay active while working from home or in the office.
Whether you’re working from home, or you have returned to the office, you’re likely sitting too much as part of your job. When meetings and tasks begin to pile up, you might feel confined and trapped at your desk all day, every day. When days turn to weeks and months without activity, your overall health may suffer. That’s why it’s important to prioritize activity in your daily life – but how can you fit it into your busy schedule?
In this blog post, we’ll share some simple ways you can boost physical activity while working a desk job.
Take Active Breaks
Taking breaks of 5 – 15 minutes to get up and move around can make a big impact on your overall fitness. You don’t have to commit to walking during your lunch break or starting each day with a 6 AM run. Instead, if you a few minutes before a call, or if you need to use the restroom, you can turn that time into an active break.
Get up, stretch, and go for a quick walk around the house or the office. If you’re able, head outdoors for a few minutes and circle the block or the parking lot. It doesn’t have to take long, but even a couple active breaks a day can help you feel refreshed and increase your overall activity throughout the day.
Try A Standing Desk or Work in a Different Location
Standing desks can help improve posture and can feel more natural than sitting in one place over the course of the day. They can also help you stay more active. Whether you’re simply standing at a kitchen counter or a designated standing desk, you’ll feel more active when working if you stand. In some instances, you may be able to take calls while walking on a treadmill or even walking outdoors (just be mindful of your surroundings if you’ll be participating in the conversation).
Similarly, just because you have a dedicated workstation doesn’t mean you have to sit in one place all day, every day. Try switching up your location and get some additional steps in at different points in the day. For instance, you might start the day by working at the kitchen table, then move to your workspace in the afternoon to focus on a big project, and finally move to the back patio to work in the afternoon.
Pick Up an Active After-Work Hobby
When workdays are packed, sometimes the only time you can fit in activity is after hours. Yet, you don’t have to commit to an hour in the gym every day or a hard run in the afternoon to get the benefits of daily exercise. Try completing a 10-minute workout on YouTube or grab a bike and go around the block – anything to mix things up and stay active is a great place to start.
Working at a desk doesn’t have to mean being completely sedentary. Find small ways to add more activity into your day and start feeling more energized and ready to take on the day.
